Aidan Atherton
Aidan Michael Atherton is a character that got his start on the series Tainted Love, then joining the show, Resort, and then currently on the series, Harpers Falls. On all three shows, he was played by actor Jackson Brundage, who grew up in the role. When Aidan became an adult, he was recast with Australian actor, Scott Lee, best known for his role as Hunter King on the Australian soap, Home and Away. Raised by two dads, yet, bedeviled by his waste of space mother! Aidan is the son and only child of Aaron Atherton and Jennifer Barrett. He is also the adopted son of Rusty Brown. He is a mostly cheerful and well-adjusted young man, despite all the trials he has had to deal with, most of them coming from his troublemaking and estranged mother. Despite his age, he still derives the most comfort from his favorite teddy bear, named Rufus. He had had Rufus ever since he was a baby, and even at his advanced age, refuses to give him up. Rufus maintains a position of honor in the apartment he shares with his closest friends. Jennifer had been reckless and selfish most of her life, because she was always so full of herself. A lot of people thought that Aaron wasn't a good father, but it was later revealed that Aaron was a much better parent than Jennifer could hope to be. As he pointed out to his vicious ex-wife, it was Aaron who gave more of a damn about their son than she did. When he was an infant, it was Aaron who took better care of him than Jennifer did. The worst thing that Aidan contended with was when Jennifer screamed to a packed lobby at the Futura resort (where she and her family were staying) that she had never loved him. This nearly shattered Aidan emotionally, and had it not been for his father, and his extended family, Aidan would have gone into a mental hospital. Another instance of Jennifer's hate of him was her getting in his face and screaming that he was useless to her. To Jennifer, he had been nothing but a mere prop for her ambitions, and when his usefulness was at an end, she discarded him. Thanks to his mother's former friend, Sarah Jo McArthur, he had a motherly figure, although she later passed away due to cancer. Before she died, Aidan was joyful when his dad and his "uncle" Rusty got married. Rusty then adopted Aidan, because he had always loved him. They moved to Boston some time after Aaron and Rusty got married. They utilized their combined years of restaurant experience and opened a new eatery in the Back Bay area called Aaron and Rusty's Boston Bistro. Aidan helps his dads out at the restaurant a lot of the time. Despite their being in town for such a small amount of time, Aidan has already gained two new friends. His closest friends include Sammy Forson and Derek Harper. The three guys still spend time, even at their age, playing tea party with dolls and stuffed animals. However, due to their combined popularity, (and the fact that they are as close as cousins) nobody dares question it. At the wedding of AJ Crawford and Jamie Minzell Crawford, Jennifer tried to sink the wedding by going off on a despicable rant about her hatred of gay marriage. A disgusted Aidan was thoroughly embarrassed by her behavior. Anngelique and his father threw her out of the wedding venue. At the reception, he felt that what she had done was his fault, but thanks to his two dads, his two best friends, and Shane Washburn, he later realized that what Jennifer does isn't his fault. However, it was later revealed that Jennifer had one of her male model friends viciously rape Aidan. This infuriated Aaron and Rusty, who had noticed how upset Aidan had been over the past weeks since AJ and Jamie's wedding. Realizing what she had done, Aaron and Rusty are now out for revenge against the evil Jennifer. This also allowed for his paternal grandmother, Cathy Rizzo, to come to town for good, to help her grandson. She is also out for her former daughter in-law's blood as well. He is also close to his maternal grandparents, despite Jennifer's continual schemes to try to keep them from seeing him. John Barrett, Barbara Barrett and his new wife, Marta, are infuriated with Jennifer's despicable antics, especially with her aiding and abetting the rape of their grandson, and this has led them (aided by their other daughter, Charlene) to disown her, while they help Aaron, Rusty and Cathy to take care of Aidan. Also involved is Jeff and Nate Atherton, Aaron's brothers. With the aid of his best friends' family, the Harpers, Aidan and his family moved into a new home in the Beacon Hill area. They are closer to the Harpers, and this has solidified the bonds between the Harpers and the Athertons. Later on, those ties were even more defined, when it was revealed on his grandmother's deathbed that Samantha Bennett was his great aunt. His grandmother's brother, John, was once married to Samantha, long before she became a model. This means that Aidan is now a Harper family member, which pleased his best friends, Derek and Sammy, as they are now related. Also from his now Aunt Samantha's first marriage, comes a second cousin, Alex Henderson. A furious Jennifer, again after she was denied something she wanted, decided to beat Aidan to a pulp. This earned her the wrath of Aidan's close friends and family. As such, Jacqueline Haller, one of Aidan's friends got the evil former model into a ring and savagely demolished her. Unfortunately, Jennifer failed to heed lessons and was again still trying to humiliate her ex-husband and the child she threw over so heartlessly. As he grew, Aidan became much stronger, and has been able to put Jennifer in her place more easily, and with more strength. He is a current Hotel and Restaurant Management major at Harvard, following in his dads' footsteps. He works more at the restaurant and is very adept at handling things. He still hangs out with Derek and Sammy, and he also gains a new friend in wealthy Ian Schroeder, the third member of their quartet. Romance has eluded Aidan, because he is so busy, but he is still considered a handsome catch for anyone. Category:Characters Category:Harper family allies Category:Atherton/Brown family Category:Other relatives of the Harper family